Miami is arguably the first destination that opposition supporters look for when their schedule is announced for an NFL season. With beaming sunshine, stunning beaches, and a booming nightlife, it’s clear to see why. However, if the Dolphins’ 2025 season is anything to go by, those same opposing supporters who previously came to enjoy themselves outside of the stadium are now thoroughly enjoying what they get to witness on the field. 

The Dolphins endured a miserable time of it in 2025, finishing 7-10 and missing the playoffs for the second straight campaign. If that wasn’t bad enough for the locals, four of those defeats came on home turf, with fans of the Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, and New England Patriots all able to thoroughly enjoy their time in the Sunshine State. 

Miami Becomes a Happy Hunting Ground for Visiting Supporters 

The latter of that quartet plays the Dolphins twice a season, courtesy of both teams being divisional rivals in the AFC East. And the Pats had an even bigger reason to party, facing Miami in the final week of the regular season after a blistering campaign of their own. Online NFL week 18 odds made the Pats a whopping 13.5-point favorite for their clash with the Dolphins, and while they didn’t manage to cover the spread, they did emerge victorious. 

Now, the Patriots find themselves positioned as a +550 third favorite to win Super Bowl LX, while the Dolphins find themselves looking for a new head coach following the firing of Mike McDaniel. But while we wait to see which HC gets to head to Florida for the gig of a lifetime, the Dolphins’ opponents for next season already know their fate. Let’s take a look at which supporters get to take in all that Florida has to offer in 2026. 

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs will head to Hard Rock Stadium wounded, possibly broken, after a dismal 2025 of their own, after ruling over the NFL with an iron fist for the better part of a decade. Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL and MCL in Week 15 against the Chargers, ending Kansas City’s season at 6, 11—their first playoff miss since 2014. Think about that. The guy who’s been carving up defenses for years took 34 sacks in just 14 games because Kansas City’s offensive line turned into Swiss cheese, and their running game averaged a pathetic 106.6 yards. 

Now the best QB in the game is facing nine months of recovery, and depending on when this Miami game lands on the schedule, you might be looking at a Chiefs team starting a backup or a compromised Mahomes still finding his legs. For Miami? This is the kind of game you circle. Statement win potential. Playoff resume builder. The chance to punch a struggling dynasty in the mouth at home. 

Chiefs fans will still show up—they always travel—but the energy advantage belongs entirely to South Florida. 

Los Angeles Chargers

Jim Harbaugh just fired Greg Roman after the Chargers scored a paltry three points in their Wild Card playoff loss to New England, their lowest output since that embarrassing Baltimore game back in 2020. Now, they will look to the future with a trip to Miami already guaranteed on the calendar. 

The matchup will carry serious juice, and no, that’s not just in the cocktails visiting supporters will enjoy on Ocean Drive. The Dolphins will be catching the Chargers in transition, still figuring out their identity, while the Dolphins hopefully have their own offense clicking by then. Chargers fans travel exceptionally well—half of them are already down here for the winter anyway—so expect Hard Rock Stadium to have legitimate pockets of powder blue making noise. 

Chicago Bears

Here’s where it gets personal. Ben Johnson—yes, the Ben Johnson who just won NFC North Coach of the Year after going 11-6 with the Bears—spent six years grinding through the Dolphins organization from 2012 to 2018. Worked his way up from offensive assistant to wide receivers coach before Detroit poached him, and Chicago eventually made him head coach. The visit of his Bears to Hard Rock in 2026 isn’t just another game on the schedule; it’s a homecoming with serious stakes. 

Johnson transformed Chicago’s offense into a powerhouse in Year One, with Caleb Williams taking a massive leap and the Bears pulling off six fourth-quarter comebacks in the final two minutes. Should similar heroics unfold at Hard Rock next season, expect the Chicago fans’ party to roll into the street and onto the beach in no time. 

Detroit Lions

The Lions are showing up in Miami Gardens with something to prove after one of the most painful seasons ever witnessed. Detroit finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs despite entering 2025 with Super Bowl expectations. Remember when they hung 52 on Chicago in Week 2, with Jared Goff throwing five touchdowns and Amon-Ra St. Brown catching three of them? That feels like a lifetime ago. 

The offensive ceiling is still there, however, and a motivated Detroit team using 2025’s heartbreak as fuel could shred Miami’s defense if the Dolphins haven’t fixed their coverage issues. Lions fans travel hard, too—they’re starved for success and will make the trip to South Florida’s 65,000-seat palace in huge numbers. 

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals had to endure a miserable campaign of their own in 2025, missing the playoffs for the third straight year, despite the brilliance of sensational quarterback Joe Burrow. His side finished at a disastrous 6-11, but they still managed to pick up a victory over the Dolphins, amassing a whopping 45 points in a week 16 demolition job. The 45-21 triumph was Cincy’s best performance of the season, and as a result of that – as well as the South Florida weather, pregame atmosphere, and tourism draw – Who Dey Nation will head to Hard Rock in force.